Electric signaling means.



A. J. ALLARD.

ELECTRIC SIGNALING MEANS. APPLICATION FILED 001'. 29, 1910.

Patented Mar. 28,1911.

W r m A Q WIT/M5555 n1: uonms PETERS co., WASHINGTON, n. c.

ANDREW J. ALLARD, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOB, OF ONE-FOURTH TO l. F. GREEN AND ONE-FOURTH TO DAVID R. CREECY, BOTH OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

ELECTRIC SIGNALING MEANS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 29, 1910.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANDREW J. ALLARD, of Richmond, in the county of Henrico and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Signaling Means; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in electrical signaling means, the object of the lnvention being to provide simple and efiicient devices for indicating the existence of a broken wheel flange.

With this object in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts as hereinafter set forth and pointed out in the claims. In the accompanying drawings; Figure 1 1s a diagrammatical view showing the application of my improvements; and Figs. 2 and 3 are enlarged detail views.

1 represents a car frame, and 2 the car wheels.

At each end of the car, L-shaped levers 3 are pivotally mounted on suitable supports 4; secured to the car frame. The long arm of each of these levers carries a roller 5 adapted to run against the inner side of the flange of the adjacent wheel 2,said roller being maintained in such engagement with the wheel flange by means of a spring 6 connected with the short arm 7 of the lever 3. Upon each support 4, a circuit closer or controller 8 is mounted, and each of said controllers comprises a lever 9 pivotally supported between its ends and provided near the free end of its long arm with a tooth 10 which normally engages the free end of the short arm 7 of lever 3 so as to normally maintain the long arm of said lever 9 centrally between and out of contact with the two contact arms 1111. The lever 9 is held in this position with its tooth 10 in contact with the short arm of lever 3, by means of a spring 12 attached to the short arm of said lever 9. The two contact arms 11 are electrically connected by a conductor 13, and the contact arms of one controller are electrically connected with the contact arms of the other controller or circuit closer (at each end of the car) by means of a conductor 14. Likewise the levers 9 of the controllers at each end of the car electrically connected by means of a conductor 15.

An electrical signaling or indicating device of any preferred construction, is located at each end of the car, and the electromagnetic devices of each signal are included in circuit with a battery 16 and the con- I ductors 14 and 1 5.

IVith the construction and arrangement of circuits and devices above described, it is apparent that the circuits of the signals will be normally open at the circuit closers or controllers 8. Should the flange of a wheel become broken, a recess would be formed, as shown at 18, Figs. 2 and 3. The roller 5 will enter such recess and thus permit the L- shaped lever 3 to be turned and its short arm moved out of line with the tooth 10 of lever 9. The latter lever will now be moved by the spring 12 and caused to engage one of the contact arms 11, thus closing the circuit of battery 16 and causing the operation of the signal or indicator 17 When the end of the broken portion of the wheel passes the roller 5, the end wall of the recess 18 formed by the break, will engage said roller and cause the short arm 7 of lever 3 to engage the tooth 10 of lever 9 with sufficient force to throw the latter into contact with the other cont-act arm 11 and the arm 7 will become disposed behind said tooth and hold the roller 5 away from the car wheel and lever 9 in contact with the last mentioned contact arm 11 to maintain the signal or indicator circuit closed until the parts are manually reset to the positions shown in Fig. 2.

Having fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is

1. The combination with a car wheel and a signaling device, of electrical devices cooperating with the wheel flange and signal, and operative by a break in said flange.

2. The combination with a car wheel and an electrical signaling device, of a circuit closer, a normally open electric circuit including said signaling device and circuit closer, and mechanical means cooperating with the flange of the car wheel and said circuit closer to cause the operation of the same when the flange of the wheel flange breaks.

3. The combination with a car wheel and a signaling device, of a circuit controller, an electric circuit including said signaling device and circuit controller, and a pivoted lever cooperating with the circuit controller and the flange of the Wheel to cause the op eration of the circuit controller when the Wheel flange breaks.

4. The combination With a signaling device and a car Wheel, of a circuit controller, an electric circuit including said circuit controller and signaling device, a. pivoted lever having one arm normally cooperating with the circuit controller, and a roller mounted on the other arm of said lever and adapted to run on the side of the Wheel flange.

5. The combination with a carwheel and an electrical signaling device, of a circuit controller comprising a pivoted lever and a contact arm, an electric circuit including thesignaling device and the circuit controller, a pivoted lever, a roller carried by said last mentioned lever and adapted to run 011 the side of the Wheel flange, said lever having an arm cooperating With the lever of the circuit controller to maintain the circuit normally open.

6. The combination with an electrical signaling device and a car Wheel, of an L-shaped lever, a roller carried by one arm of said lever and adapted to run on the side of the Wheel flange, a circuit controller lever having a tooth to engage the other arm of the L- shaped lever, contact arms at respective sides of the circuit controller lever and normally out of contact therewith, springs for moving said levers, and a'normally open electric circuit including said circuit controller lever, contact arms and signaling device.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

ANDREW J. ALLARD. Witnesses:

ARTHUR L. PLEASANTS, 'W. B. CLAIBORNE.

fiopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner ofQaten'ts, Washington, D. G. 

